Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-01-09
SPOTTSYLVANIA.
A VISIT TO THE BATTLE GROUND APTYR
MANY YEARS.
Recalling Thrilling Experiences Of the Desperate
Confict-One Mans Nsmory of the
Great Wilderness Battle.

Great Wilderness Battle.
The village of Sp~Ottsylvania Court House
Is about twelve miles south Of Fredericks-
burg and the road leading to it is generally
a level one. Now, as during the wal, there
are many large farms along the route. The
fine May weather was being improved by
the farmers, as many we're seen at plough
and cultivatOr in the corn and other fields.
had curiosity to visit a mansion, a long
distance of the road, and, opening a gate,
we drove along the edge of a corr field,
and at the house were kindly received.
While obtaining the information l sought,
= veritable old cOlored ''auntien brought
ne some cool water from a well, which was
close at hand. talked with the lady about
ihe war, but found it was an unpleasant
subject.
"Ah," says she, II try to forget it, but
t was a sorrow we can never forget"
Finishing my business, l babe the lady
good morning and left her, fearing | had
'eterred to a subject which, no doubt, had
brought up some sad remembrance of lost
friends or property, or both. The court
louise village was seen in the distance, but
bng before we saw the earthworks which
had been thrown up by Burnside when he
Overed the roads leading to Fredericks-
lurg. These are seen in field and woods,
kt much has been obliterated by the
PEACEFUL pillow and harrow. The town is
situated right at the junction formed by
tie Brock and Fredericksburg roads, and
chsists Of a court house and Jail, and near
item in the public grounds is the hideous
gllOws.
! got the history of those who had expi-
aed their crimes on this structure, but
cold not remember them all. Quite a
lage hotel, now managed by a Pennsyl-
vaia man, a couple of churches, a school
hqse, quite new, from the windows of
wlch the children watched us rs we rode
by children who knew less of the conflicts
wdch had occurred there than thousands
wo have not been there since they
ccurred. There are nearly a dozen
dwellings,, somewhat scattered, q store
AM postOffice. When | reached the
village it was early in the morn
ins, for l had started very early,
but here were many people around, who
seemed to make the store or pOStoffice
thu headquarters. Ihad been instructed
to )tain Bill Ashby the %storekeeper, as a
guild, in my rambles through the country,
AMI It his place | refined up. As l stepped
overthe threshold | saw, | think, about
four nen, evidently natives, from there
dreS and general appearance, and all of
midle age. asked for Mr.. Ashby, when
a ydngish, understood gentleman respond
ed, he came from another room.
"bu want to see Bill Ashby? Pm Bin
AshE."
l rasped his hand and told him my
busiess, that | wanted to get a man to 20
whine over the battle grounds, but |
tod i'm | judged he couldn't leave his
bsiRss and go with ME. Mr.. Ashby was
Mt sow to tell me he was always ready TO
Fg Over the battle grounds, and he was at
nYsevice. While a fresh horse was being
otlined, Bill was preparing a diet of sar-
dies, crackers and pickles, which he put
iIb the wagon. During my stay mt his
sire found he sold everything that hui
unity desires, sugar, boots, brOoms, calico,
m, last, but far from least, the bar
ran wa far larger than the country store,
al from it Bill procured a stock, and put
itp the large box under the wagons seat.
Wstarted in a nOrthwesterly direction,
tahg the Brock road, the name of which
rebls all the campaigns south of the Rapi-
d3 Mine Run, Charlottesville, Wilder
nd and S~pOttsylvania Court House. had
dGed long to visit the scenes of the bat
tlOf the Wilderness and SpottSylvania
%pficularly, because at the latter place it
" my i'll fortune to have been
wnded and made a prisoner, and for
tt days laid upon the ground but
aaort distance south of the court house.
VII the object of finding spots l could
rll / had gone thither, and with this in
Wv | was riding along with Bill Ashby to
fl them. The soldiers of the army ofthe
PhmaC will remember the passage of the
NY from the thick woods of the Wilder
n to the more open country of Spottsyl-
VIA, and the boys of the Fifth Corps who
Itched the eventful night of May :, 1864,
" readily recall the story | shall try to
fAfully relate. Reader, leave Bill Ashby
"a his guest driving along the Brock road,
vie we go back twenty-five years to the
Wlerness battle.
'uring the contest in the entanglements
one Wilderness the Army of the Poto-
n was commanded by Major General
Gge G.. Meade. The army was divided
u each corps commanded as follows:
Snd Corps. General Hancock; Fifth
Chs, General Warren; Sixth Corps, Gen
eiSedgwick; Ninth Corps, General Burn
st cavalry, General Sheridan. General
Cit, who commanded the army of the
Qed States, made his headquarters
" the Army of the Potomac, his orders
Il that army being through Gen
q Meade. There is no doubt T.
Der work would have been accomplished y
hGrant taken immediate control of the i
drent corps OF the army, for more than r
O misunderstanding took place which a
ced much loss OF time and life, and all o.
Gcc0unt of the necessity which required 81
arder to pass through General Meade,
nhich gave the latter such independent .,
prs. Nothing could reflect upon Gen.
Me, who was considered a very skillful
abrave soldier. The Wilderness battles
v fought May 4, 5, 6, and :, 1864.
Bng the day time of the 9TH the Sec W
mCorps relieved the Fifth, to which I q
" attached, and we drew out of the II
VS. along the Brock road. | confess / 20
discouraged, for l thought we were 60 90
ito recrosS the river as the army had "
d before, and ! began to feel as though VI
pps we had better let our Southern n
mren 60 in peace. We went but a short =
dnce, halted and lay down. Soon we =
wtold to get our grub, and the party of
Il, of which | was one, procured water -
atwood, and soon had q ire going. We n
10 coffee, and for once in several days
hguiet and undisturbed supper, finish
iphich / laid down and dreamed. So
sGly had | thought the campaign was p,
ding to a close that | dreamed the Con- Ac
fe,cy was approaching a success, that it NJ
hucceeded, and either way from the ng
Pnac and Ohio rivers, north and south, !
wtwo small republics. My dream car ln'
rhe into another war between the two cHn,'
ctrieS, and there / saw an allied army an